(BUFFALO GROVE) — The state’s best girl’s tennis players gathered in the Chicago suburbs for the IHSA state championship tournament last weekend. The Little Illini Conference was represented by four singles players (one of them a Sectional champion) and one doubles team.
Deerfield repeated as the Class 1A state champion, scoring 32 points, 12 points ahead of Chicago University. New Trier won the 2A crown. All six tennis-playing LIC schools compete in Class 1A.
Olivia Sornberger of Newton, the singles champion at the recent LIC tournament in Olney, had the misfortune of drawing the No. 1 seed and eventual 1A state champion, Courtney Croll of Woodlands Academy, in the first round. Sornberger lost 6-1, 6-0, but bounced back to win the next two matches before eventually falling in the third round of the consolation bracket to Catherine Ra of Champaign St. Thomas More, 6-2, 6-1.
Paedyn Keys of Paris, who won the singles championship at the Champaign Centennial Sectional last week, was the only one of the LIC contingent to win a first-round match. Keys defeated Macklin Metzger of Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, 6-1, 6-1, before losing her next two matches to bow out of the state tournament.
Keys’ Lady Tiger teammate, Lexi Crippes, fell 6-0, 6-0 to Evie Drexler of North Shore Country Day, in her first match. Crippes recovered to win her first consolation match before losing in the second round.
Daisy Mumford of Casey-Westfield lost her opening-round match and then was eliminated in a loss to Carterville’s Katya Chyzhyk, 6-2, 6-0.
The LIC doubles champions, Hazel Earnest and Alivia Peach of Mt. Carmel, opened state tournament play with a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Lilian Meyer and Harper Young of Mahomet-Seymour. After winning their first match in the consolation bracket, the Lady Aces tandem lost to Avery Olson and Liliana Vasquez of Sycamore in a third-set super tiebreak, 2-6, 6-3, (10-7).
According to the IHSA, there were 246 matches played (38 went to three sets). However, there were no upsets over the weekend.
IHSA GIRLS TENNIS TOURNAMENT SUMMARY
CLASS 1A
Results: 1. Deerfield 32, 2. Chicago University 20, 3. St. Jacob Triad 19, 4. Lake Forest 17, T5. Payton 14, T5. Hinsdale South 14, T5. Woodlands Academy 14.
LIC finishes: T40. Paris 3, T45. Newton 2, T55. Mt. Carmel 1.
Singles match results (LIC players):
Daisy Mumford (Casey-Westfield): lost to Rachelle Appelhans (Crystal Lake South) 6-1, 6-3; lost to Katya Chyzhyk (Carterville) 6-2, 6-0.
Olivia Sornberger, Newton: lost to Courtney Croll (Woodlands Academy) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Alexis Mogul (Metamora) 6-2, 6-2; defeated Mya Sloan (Flora) 6-0, 6-3; lost to Catherine Ra (Champaign St. Thomas More) 6-2, 6-1.
Lexi Crippes, Paris: lost to Evie Drexler (North Shore Country Day) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Emmy Manasses (Chicago Christian) 6-0, 6-1; lost to Ida Seeger (Springfield) 6-3, 6-0.
Paedyn Keys, Paris: defeated Macklin Metzger (Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin) 6-1, 6-1; lost to Avery Saura (Mundelein Carmel) 6-0, 6-1; lost to Phoebe Hirsh (Latin) 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles match results (LIC players):
Hazel Earnest/Alivia Peach (Mt. Carmel): lost to Lilian Meyer/Harper Young (Mahomet-Seymour) 6-4, 6-2; defeated Ali Liesen/Olivia Weldon (Metamora) 5-7, 6-2, (10-7); lost to Avery Olson and Liliana Vasquez of Sycamore, 2-6, 6-3, (10-7).
